Puzzle or toy.



v. 1). DIXON. PUZZLBOR TOY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1.910.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

mlllmllil Elma/MM V. fi. 012',

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VARIEN I). DIXON, OF FORT ST. MICHAEL, DISTRICT OF ALASKA.

PUZZLE OR TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VARIEN D. DIXON, citizen of the United States, residing at Fort St. Michael, District of Alaska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles or Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to puzzles and has for its object the provision of a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character, designed to afford a source of amusement for children and other persons attempting to solve the same.

The invention further provides a puzzle or toy including a box or receptacle having a cup disposed at one end thereof and connected with the bottom of said box by a perforated bridge, the object being to roll a movable projectile, such as a ball of mercury, over the bridge and position the same within the cup Without spattering the mercury.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency, as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a. full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fi ure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a puzz e constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the cover removed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The device comprises a substantially rectangular box or receptacle 5 having a transparent to 6 provided with a removable lid or cover Secured to the bottom of the box 5 at one end thereof is a block 8 having its upper surface inclined downwardly and provided with a pocket or cup 9 adapted to receive a ball of mercury, indicated at 10.

- The upper edge of the block 8 is rabbeted at 11 to form a support for the adjacent end of a bridge piece 12, the opposite end of which is inclined or beveled at 13 and glued or otherwise permanently attached to the bottom of the box, as shown. The intermediate portion of the bridge piece 12 is provided with a circular enlargement 1 f having a. central openin 15 formed therein and disposed concentric with the outer wall of the enlargement 14 so as to render it necessary to roll the ball of mercury on either side of the opening 15 in order to position mercury within the cup 9. By rabbeting the upper surface of the block 8, the upper surface of the bridge piece will be disposed flush with said block so as not to present any obstruction to the passage of the ball of mercury.

In using the device, the ball of mercury is positioned on the bottom of the box and the latter tilted in the hand so as to direct the ball of mercury on the lower end of the bridge piece 12, when by further manipulation of the box, the mercury may be caused to travel around the central opening 15 in the bridge piece and positioned in the pocket or cup 9.

It will of course be understood that the block 8 and bridge piece 12 may be formed inte ral and that the width and length of the bridge piece may be varied so as to render it more or less difficult to position the mercury within the cup.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A puzzle including a receptacle, a on disposed within the receptacle, a perforatet bridge forming a connection between the top of the cup and bottom of the receptacle, and a movable member adapted to be rolled over the bridge and positioned within the cup.

2. A puzzle including a receptacle, a cup secured to the receptacle, a bridge piece secured to the top of the cup and bottom of the receptacle, respectively, said bridge piece having its intermediate portion provided with an enlargement having an opening therein, and a ball of mercury adapted to be rolled over the bridge piece and positioned within the cup.

3. A puzzle including a receptacle, a block secured to the bottom of the receptacle and having its upper surface inclined downwardly and provided with a cup, a bridge piece secured to the to) of the block and bottom of the rcceptac e, respectively, and having its intermediate portion provided with an enlargement having a central opening therein, and a ball of mercury adapted to be rolled over the bridge piece and posi- 1 bridge piece having its intermediate portion tioned Within the cup.

4. A puzzle including a receptacle having a transparent top and providedwith a cover, a block secured to the bottom of the receptacle at one end thereof and having its upper surface inclined downwardly and provided with a depression constituting a cup, one edge of the block at the inclined surface thereof being rabbeted to form a shoulder, a bridge piece having one end thereof resting on the shoulder and its other end beveled and secured to the bottom of the receptacle, said provided With a circular enlargement having a central opening formed therein, and a. ball of mercury adapted to be rolled over the upper surface of the bridge piece and positioned within the cup.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature 2 in presence of two Witnesses.

VARIEN D. DIXON.

' Witnesses:

LLOYD E. KIznR, JAMES M. RILEY. 

